September 15, 1995

The unrelenting desire of town residents to protect the 100-year-old maple trees that line the east side of Main Street has prompted the town to formally request the Department of Transportation to allow the sewers to be placed in the road instead of in the yard between the curb and trees. The Borough Board of Burgesses, however, is not convinced the WPCA will make a strong pitch for that sewer route so it is moving forward with creation of an ordinance to preserve the larger, valuable trees located within the National Register of Historic Places area of the Borough of Newtown.... the proposed ordinance refers to trees that have a diameter of 2½ feet or more.

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Bids for renovation of Town Hall South have come in significantly higher than town officials hoped. The low bidder, Clearheart Construction of Bethel had a base bid of $758,000... eight alternate proposals... would bring the total project up to $893,385... Last year the Legislative Council on the recommendation of its finance committee set aside $250,000 in the capital reserve account to finance the renovations which originally were limited mostly to new siding and the correction of drainage problems... Later town officials expanded the scope of the project by a pitched roof and new windows. They hoped the bids would come in around $500,000.

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Fred Pendergast, Jr, knows immediately “by the smell” if a homeowner puts an empty unwashed dog food can in a recycling bin... After decades of throwing such items into the garbage, it’s difficult for people to remember that they need to be washed before recycling. So Fred Pendergast knows there will be a period of adjustment when his firm and Danbury Waste Disposal begin picking up magazines and glossy catalogues as part of the curbside recycling service offered to residents. Beginning October 1, magazines and glossy catalogues may be bundled and place curbside with other recyclables.

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The developers of a proposed exposition hall are expected to present the concept for a Hawleyville facility to the town’s Economic Development Commission when the commission meets at 8 pm, Tuesday, September 19, in Town Hall South... The proposed exhibition hall would be used for trade shows, public shows, public events, and recreational sports. Hawleyville residents turned out in force for a P&Z public hearing August 17 to register strong opposition to the proposal.

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The Newtown Cross Country teams opened their seasons September 13th in the SWC with a clean sweep over Kolbe, Pomperaug, and Stratford. Newtown starts its season 4-0, including a nonconference pre-season meet over St Joseph’s.

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Two state legislators from the area are scheduled to meet with members of the Planning & Zoning Commission(P&Z) soon to discuss potential uses of the Fairfield Hills Hospital grounds and buildings. State Rep Julia Wasserman of Newtown and State Senator Fred Lovegrove of Fairfield are slated to discuss the sprawling state property. Mrs Wasserman served as chairman of the ad hoc group known as the Fairfield Hills Task Force... Recommendations made in the task force report include: most of the open space land at Fairfield Hills should be preserved as open space; recreational use of the land should continue and expand; several buildings should be used for general administrative office space; businesses should be located in existing vacant or future vacant buildings; land should be reserved for future economic development; a regional educational presence should be encouraged on the hospital campus; affordable housing and housing for the elderly should be provided to meet established needs... open space areas on the campus should have buffer zones between them and existing developed and future developed areas.

September 11, 1970

It was a festive Labor Day in Newtown starting with a great big beautiful parade in the morning and winding up with a tour through a great big beautiful new high school... The parade was one everyone enjoyed and credit is due to all the people, civic organizations, and businesses that helped make it so. Special credit should be given the Newtown Police force for a job well done in handling the traffic before and after the parade.

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Calling All Dogs — A reminder to your owner — The Bee’s Dog Contest is about to start. Easy rules which might lead you to the title of King or Queen for National Dog Week. Come to The Bee on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, September 14-16 to have your picture taken. All photos will appear in a coming issue of the paper and votes will be cast by our readers. Entry fee, 25 cents, and votes will be taken at the rate of 10 cents each. Proceeds will be donated to an animal society. Mark your calendar, brush your ears and tail, and get the leash out. We will see you next week.

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The first meeting of the Columbiettes of Virgilius Council was opened by the president, Mrs Harry Trunchon, on Tuesday evening at the Knights of Columbus hall in Newtown. Among the activities planned was a cake sale to be on September 13 in front of St Rose of Lima Church after all the Masses... Further discussion took place concerning the Fashion Show and Card Party, which will be on October 23 at St Rose.

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The Gardeners of Eden, the patients’ garden club of Fairfield Hills Hospital, will have their tenth annual flower show on Monday, September 21, from 1-3 pm, in the gymnasium of Plymouth Hall on the Hospital grounds. The public is cordially invited to attend. The theme of this year’s show is Country Fair. Patient members will participate in five of the classes. Members of the area garden clubs have been invited to exhibit in the invitation class entitled “Country Crafts, which calls for an arrangement inspired by a craft or hobby.

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The 1970 Great Danbury Fair will begin its second century opening Saturday, October 3. The annual exposition which attracts 300,000 will run for ten days this year instead of the usual nine, ending Monday, October 12, Columbus Day. The Renowned Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride will be presented each day of the fair as a featured grandstand attraction and the Mounties will ride in the daily parade at 2:30 pm.

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KATHY’S RESTAURANT “Formerly Raymonds” — S. Main Street, Newtown; Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner Served From 6 AM til 7 PM, Sat. until 2 PM. HOMEMADE DAILY SPECIALS. DELICIOUS HUNGARIAN DISHES. Phone 426-9260

September 7, 1945

In addition to accounts of marked service by local servicemen in the 1941-45 conflict, The Bee is pleased to have the very concise record of a World War I veteran, Signal Corps Corporal Louis C. Dolce of Sandy Hook. Never a stranger to the community, Mr Dolce is performing a service much needed locally, in the shoe repair shop which he has recently opened... Mr Dolce’s friends who knew him from former years and the many new ones he has made since his return to Sandy Hook will wish him the greatest of success in his new enterprise.

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Salvage Chairman William Hunter reminds Newtown residents that scrap paper is still vitally needed in the national economy and that the next scrap paper collection will take place on Saturday, September 15. During August, Newtown’s salvage efforts netted 5,808 pounds of paper, 822 pounds of scrap metal, 3,565 pounds of tin.

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Students to the number of 554, relieved of the tedium of summer vacation, arrived by bus and on foot at Newtown’s five schools, Wednesday morning and entered immediately into the climb toward their June 20, 1946 goal.

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The Newtown Playground closed the first season with a double program of athletics and swimming on Labor Day. Results of the first season give good promise for the next. Appreciation of fine work done by Stuart Rohleder, instructor of golf, and Dorothy Mareck and Barbara Blour, Red Cross swimming instructors from Bridgeport has been expressed by many. Transportation furnished by “Slim” Dickinson meant much in the swimming program. Grateful appreciation is expressed by the swimmers for use of the Mayer and Fife private pools and Curtis Pond.

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Students from Richmond Professional Institute and Columbia University have been receiving their psychiatric clinical training at the Fairfield Hills Hospital during the past three months as part of their three-year course in occupational therapy. This is the largest group of occupational therapy students that has been affiliated at one time in the past two years which the training program has been conducted.

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BEST BUY OF THE WEEK Six acres nice land, spring on property, electricity and telephone available, near center of Newtown on Newtown-Bridgeport highway. Price $1,800, cash. Ernest C. Marcioc, Write Newtown PO Box 272 or Phone 542-2.

August 27, 1920

The microfilm containing 1920 Newtown Bee editions is kept at the C.H. Booth Library, which is temporarily closed due to coronavirus health precautions.

Your memories are the ones we want to share! Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to editor@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.